The UAE, Germany and Iraq signed have signed a tripartite agreement, which provides for the training of Iraqi military personnel.

According to WAM, the agreement was signed in the presence of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithy, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces.

During the ceremony, Major-General Mu’dad Harib Al Khieli, Chief of Operations in the UAE Armed Forces, said the UAE-German cooperation began on November 17,  2004 when 122 Iraqi personnel were trained to operate, repair and maintain Daimler-Chrysler trucks. The UAE undertook to bear the cost of 100 trucks, in addition to the cost of transporting them from Germany to the UAE and then to Iraq. The UAE further covered the expenses of 40 trainers and translators from Germany in addition to the expenses of the Iraqi trainees.

Al Khieli noted that the UAE Armed Forces further undertook to train the engineering unit of the Iraqi military. Necessery equipment and material for this engineering training were provided. Expenses of the trainers, translators and the trainees were also covered by the UAE military.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)